Final Vows: Murder, Madness, and Twisted Justice in California

Final Vows: Murder, Madness, and Twisted Justice in California

by Karen Kingsbury

4.0 (2,278)

4.0 stars from 2,278 reviews. Top 77% of Mystery Thriller books we track.


$2.99KU83% off peak

Last checked: May 31, 2026

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Price history: $0.99 $17.99

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Fans of these authors will like this...

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Fans of these books will like this...

  • I'll Be Gone in the Dark
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Perfect for you if...

  • You're drawn to true crime stories where the obvious suspect might not be guilty, and you want the psychological complexity alongside the courtroom drama.
  • You enjoy narratives written by journalists who know how to build tension through reported facts rather than speculation.
  • You appreciate moral ambiguity in your crime stories. stories where you genuinely can't decide who to believe until the ending.

Maybe not for you if...

  • You need clear-cut villains and straightforward resolutions. The lingering doubts here will frustrate you.
  • You prefer fictional crime narratives where you can distance yourself emotionally from real people's suffering.
  • You're looking for a quick procedural. This is a character study that moves at its own pace.

About this book

A former Los Angeles Times reporter chronicles a marriage between a Christian woman and an ex-convict that ends in murder. Carol Montecalvo began corresponding with a man in prison through her church, considering it a Christian duty. The letters became meaningful to her, and she fell in love with the man. They married in the prison chapel just before his release. Their marriage lasted nine years until the night Dan called 911 to report his wife's murder. With a half-million dollar insurance policy on his wife's life and a history of affairs, Dan becomes the obvious suspect. However, questions remain about his guilt. Was he responsible for the crime, or a grieving widower caught in unfortunate circumstances? This true crime account examines the murder and the sensational trial that followed, presenting the emotional details of the case through its final conclusion.

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Price History

Kindle price over time. Green zones = periods when the book was free.

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Free$8.99$17.99May '21Jul '23Jun '24Feb '26
$0.99$17.99

Currently on sale at $2.99 — 83% off peak. Price has dropped 38 times over the last 5 years. Goes on sale roughly every 43 days. Typically stays discounted for 6 days.

Sales Rank

Amazon sales rank: lower number = better selling book. #1 is the bestseller.

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#292#155,257#310,222Apr '19Oct '23Sep '24May '26

Currently around #47K in the Kindle store — a steady mid-list seller.

Rating & Reviews

Purple line = star rating over time. Blue area = total review count growth.

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3.0★4.0★5.0★May '23Jan '24Aug '24Jun '25RatingReviews

Currently 4.0★ from 2,278 reviews

Gaining approximately 17 new reviews per month. Rating has climbed from 3.9 to 4.0. Recent readers are rating it higher.

Sale Prediction

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Free$8.99$17.99May '21Jul '23Jun '24Feb '26PredictedMay '26

Actual Predicted

This book is currently discounted at $2.99. It typically returns to around $17.99.

Prices shown in USD from Amazon US. We continuously pull new data to improve tracking. If dates look old, it usually means there has been no significant change since the last data point.

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Karen Kingsbury

1 book on Vagrant Press

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